Contador out of Vuelta

Spain’s Alberto Contador announced on Wednesday he has given up hopes of competing in next month’s Vuelta a España after suffering complications with the broken leg that forced him to quit the Tour de France last week.

The 31-year-old, who was looking to clinch a third Tour title this year, crashed badly on a descent during the mountainous stage from Mulhouse to La Planche des Belles Filles.

Contador got back on his bike and benefited from the great work of his Tinkoff-Saxo team-mates before eventually withdrawing from the race with more than 80km of the stage remaining.

The Vuelta, which is the last of the year’s three Grand Tours, gets underway on August 23.